Stop the Deportation of Fausto, Future Pediatrician and NC Dreamer

Hi, my name is Fausto Palma-Guifarro, and I came to the US when I was 12 years old. I am now 18 years old, and I am facing deportation. I was brought to this country escaping the violence in Honduras and to reunite with my mother who I had not seen since I was 6 years old. I did not remember my mother’s face; I missed her love, hugs and company. I just wanted to be with her. I would like an opportunity to stay in this country, my country, to become a professional, serve its people, and support my mother.

In 2004, I was stopped by immigration officials when I was trying to cross the border into the US with my brother. An immigration judge gave us an order to attend court. My brother and I did not go to the court because my mother received the wrong legal advice from an unscrupulous notary.

On June 8, 2011, the day before my high school graduation, ICE came to my house and arrested me. I was detained at the ICE detention center in Cary, NC, and I was alone trying to defend myself. My mother, who has Temporary Protected Status (TPS), was in Honduras visiting my siblings.

ICE allowed me to attend my high school graduation because I have no criminal record and because of my good behavior during my detention. However, on July 21st, 2011 I will have to go to Charlotte, NC to report before ICE. Once there, ICE could put me in a plane and send me back to Honduras, or, with your help, grant me deferred action.

I feel like an American. I want to work hard for this country and for my mother. There is no hope for me in Honduras, and my home is now where my mother is. My dream is to become a Pediatrician and help children by providing high quality health services to them, and to serve this country where I can live with the peace and freedom I cannot find in Honduras. I need your help to stay in the US.

I am one of the thousands of undocumented students in the U.S. who would qualify for the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act), which is a bipartisan piece of legislation that would allow certain undocumented students to come out of the shadows, obtain a higher education or apply their degree, and eventually become US citizens. The latest version of the DREAM Act was introduced on May 11th, 20011, and it has been introduced both in the U.S House and U.S Senate. In order to qualify for the DREAM Act, the student must have: 1) entered the country at the age of 15 or younger, 2) graduated from a U.S. high school or obtained a GED, 3) be of good moral character (no criminal record), and 4) have lived at least five years of continuous presence in the US.

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By showing public support, we can create a compelling case to ask ICE to allow Fausto to stay in the only country he can call home. Sign this petition to ask John Morton and Janet Napolitano to keep Fausto home with his family.

After you sign, please take a moment to also call John Morton, Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) Director:

Call 202-732-3000 or 202-282-8492

Sample script: "Hi, I'm calling ask that John Morton stops the deportation of Fausto Palma-Guifarro, Alien number 098-590-979 who will be reporting to ICE offices in Charlotte on July 21st. Fausto would qualify for the DREAM Act and his goal is to become a pediatrician. He is ready to give back to his community. Please stop his deportation"

Letter to

Assistant Director, ICEJohn Morton

Secretary of Homeland SecurityJanet Napolitano

RepresentativeDavid Price

and 2 others

SenatorRichard Burr

SenatorKay Hagan

I just signed the following petition and ask that you do everything in your power to stop Fausto's deportation immediately. Thank you.

We, the undersigned, write to humbly request that you take action to immediately stop the deportation of Fausto Palma-Guifarro (A#098-590-979). Fausto was brought to the US when he was 12 years old escaping the violence in Honduras, and to reunite with his mother who has Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and who he had not seen since he was 6 years old. Fausto, now 18 years old, is a hardworking student whose goal is to become a pediatrician and serve this country, which he now considers his home.

In 2004, Fausto was stopped by immigration officials when he was trying to cross the border into the US with his brother. An immigration judge gave them an order to attend court. Fausto’s mother received the wrong legal advice from an unscrupulous notary who advised them not to attend the court.

On June 8, 2011, the day before Fausto’s high school graduation, ICE came to his house and arrested him. ICE allowed him to attend his high school graduation because he has no criminal record and because of his good behavior during the detention. However, on July 21st, 2011 Fausto will have to go to Charlotte, NC to report before ICE. Once there, ICE could put him in a plane and send him back to Honduras, a country he no longer calls his home.

Fausto is one of the thousands of undocumented students in the U.S. who would qualify for the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act), a bipartisan piece of legislation that would allow certain undocumented students to come out of the shadows, obtain a higher education or apply their degree, and eventually become US citizens. In 2010, the DREAM Act passed the House, but it died in the Senate.

Despite the memo issued by DHS Assistant Secretary John Morton that states that non-criminal undocumented immigrants are not ICE’s priority, undocumented youth who have no criminal record continue to be put in deportation proceedings, and this memo is still not a guarantee that ICE field offices will put an end to their deportation. This is why we ask you to please take action.

We, the undersigned, respectfully request that you take immediate action to stop Fausto’s deportation. If deported, Fausto would have to return to a violent town ruled by gangs and far from his mother who now lives in the US. Please take action to stop his deportation.